336 Hours

It adds up for Caribou: A mathematician who inhabits two different Londons

Famously academic, Daniel Snaith makes an engaging interviewee. He was born in Canada to English émigré parents, trading London, Ontario for London, England ten years ago to undertake a mathematics PhD. A decade later, he’s not trading in his passport any time soon. “I’m definitely Canadian – my parents were English and emigrated to Canada. I’m not very much of a nationalist of anything I definitely like the sense that I’m living somewhere that doesn’t feel like home. London is more of a home than anywhere apart from Canada.”

Buke & Gass: Sharing their strangeness brings them together

DIARY: Anthony Chalmers

Daily MPfree: The Hundred In The Hands

Slick, polished house/shoegaze crossover from Brooklyn, brought to you via the evergreen and increasingly diverse talent-spotters Warp Records. MySpace

Rough Science, Sleeping With Wolves, Underground Bounders & The Vanity, Verse Chorus Verse

Daily MPfree: Benni Hemm Hemm

Icelander Benni Hemm Hemm plays live with anything from 4 to 40 musicians. “Retaliate” is a nice demonstration of how his songs manage to be both intimate and extroverted through the course of their 3 or 4 minutes. Pick up the Retaliate EP from their venerable Reykjavik label, Kimi Records.

Snipe Daily MPfree: Send Us Your Tracks

Here at Snipe, we want only the best for you, dear readers. That’s why we spend so much time poring over our previews, and sending you on your way to the most interesting shows, plays and exhibitions in town.

So, as we’re in the digital age and all, we’ve decided to go one step further, and dish up the best free music we come across every day on the Snipe website under the banner of the Daily MPfree. There are lots up already, in all kinds of genres – be it Sheffield indie-pop from Standard Fare, NYC “glo-fi” from Twin Sister and Teen Daze, or krautrock from Brighton via Osaka from our issue #1 stars Drum Eyes… have a listen, maybe you’ll find something you like.

Often, the Daily MPfrees will be by bands that are playing somewhere in London that night, so if you really do fall in love, you can get out there and see it live. And if you haven’t got the time or inclination to check back daily, there’ll be a monthly compilation of all the tracks that featured.

But as well as listening, we want to hear your recommendations. Whether it’s a track you’ve made, or by your friend’s unsigned band; or maybe you work as a DIY label or a music publicist. Whatever. If it’s copyright-cleared for us to offer as a download, shoot it over to us, and if it floats our boat, it’ll get used.

Upload songs to our Soundcloud at http://bit.ly/snipelondon. Stick a MySpace or a website URL in message. And maybe you’ll hear from us down the line. Don’t be offended if you don’t. We still love you.

And in the meantime, we hope you enjoy the Daily MPfrees!

Send me your track

Daily MPfree: Sam Amidon

A grim folk tale set against mathy, shuffling backing. Sam Amidon plays Bush Hall tonight.

Snipe Yourself Tickets: Sam Amidon @ Bush Hall

We at Snipe have a great prize to offer up today, you lucky things.

The wonderful Sam Amidon, who released a genuine album-of-the-year contender in “I See A Sign” on Iceland’s Bedroom Community label this March, plays a headline show at Bush Hall on Thursday 27th May. And we’ve a pair of tickets to give away.

To win, just answer the following question.

Which of the following is not a member of the Bedroom Community?

a) Valgeir Sigurðsson
b) Nico Muhly
c) Bjork

Send your answer to [email protected]. The winner will be picked at random and notified by email tomorrow morning.

If you’d like to be sure of entry, you can always nip over and buy yourself tickets here.